Geneva: Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, was invited to intervene and discuss the annual report of the ILO Director-General at the plenary session of the 114th International Labor Conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 9, 2026. The Minister supported the report of the ILO Director-General under the theme “Time to Choose: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence for Decent Work”. His Excellency also emphasized that AI should serve people, not replace them.
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With deep gratitude to the ILO for its partnership and strong support in promoting decent work, social justice, skills development and inclusive socio-economic growth, the Minister noted that artificial intelligence (AI) is not just bringing new technologies, but is transforming production systems, labor markets, and business models. While AI offers many opportunities, it can also pose risks to the protection of personal data and intellectual property if the legal, regulatory and governance frameworks are not strong enough to respond to the rapid evolution of technology.
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At the same time, he said, technological progress must go hand in hand with human progress. The presence of AI is to augment human capabilities, not replace human work. Therefore, Cambodia fully supports the content of the report, which highlights that the future of work must be people-centered, requiring strong institutions, effective social dialogue, and investment in human capital.
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He said that for Cambodia, investing in skills, employability, productivity and social protection are not just socio-political goals, but strategic foundations for competitiveness, resilience and sustainable economic growth. Cambodia continues to invest heavily in programs to modernize its training system and embed digital capabilities, equipping workers, especially youth, with the necessary skills in the digital and knowledge-based economy. In addition, Cambodia recognizes that lifelong learning, reskilling and new skills will become increasingly important in times of rapid technological change.
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The Minister also shared the achievements of Cambodia in developing the labor sector, social security and vocational training through promoting social dialogue, improving working conditions, respecting and promoting labor rights, skills training and introducing key policies to provide favorable conditions for the informal economy to enter the formal economy in the context of AI. As a leading country in implementing the Global Catalyst Initiative on Decent Work and Social Protection for Just Transitions, Cambodia remains committed to promoting productive employment, accelerating the integration of the informal economy, and expanding social protection systems in a sustainable manner.
Mr. Heng Sour highlighted that Cambodia is ready to work closely with the ILO, governments, employers, workers and development partners to ensure that AI helps build a future of work that is innovative, adaptive, resilient, decent and based on a strong foundation of human dignity and social justice.
During the discussion, the tripartite delegation paid close attention to the Minister’s intervention, especially the statement that artificial intelligence should serve people, not replace them. This message reflects Cambodia’s vision of preparing for the future of work through investments in skills, social protection and decent work.
